Ren Bonian, whose given name was “Yi,” styled himself as “Bonian” and became a famous painter in the late Qing dynasty. He was one of the most representative figures of traditional Chinese painting in the “Shanghai style.” He was as famous as Wu Changshuo, Puhua and Xugu; together, they were known as the “four famous Shanghai-style painters” in China.
Ren Bonian stands out in the history of Chinese painting. His works are fresh and elegant, encompassing a wide range of subjects and the spirit of the times. His vivid and novel painting style greatly enriched the culture of Chinese painting, opening a new era of transformation from traditional Chinese painting to modern painting.
Child artist
In 1840, Ren Bonian was born in a rural area of Zhejiang Province, China. His father was a folk portrait artist. Due to poverty, Ren Bonian had no chance to pursue academia. He studied painting and sold paintings along with his father, starting at a young age. He had great talent. At the age of about 15, Ren Bonian’s father died. Forced to make a living on his own, Ren Bonian painted works imitating the style of Ren Xiong, a famous painter at that time, and sold his creations on the street. Instead of being angry, Ren Xiong appreciated his talent and guided him in painting. Later, he asked his brother Ren Xun, a painter, to teach Ren Bonian. During this period, Ren Bonian traveled to Ningbo, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and other places, shifting location for more than a decade due to political instability. Through his years of being rootless, he met many excellent painters and developed a deeper understanding of local customs. His painting skills became exquisite. Therefore, by the time he was in his 30s, Ren Bonian’s name had been heard all over the country.
Pioneer of Shanghai-style painting
In the winter of 1868, Ren Bonian settled in Shanghai to sell his paintings. Shanghai was one of the earliest commercial ports opened to the world in the late Qing dynasty. It was called “a 10-mile-long foreign market.” Painters from all over the country who made a living by selling paintings came here to make a fortune. These painters were the first to accept new painting styles and foreign cultures. They integrated Western techniques, such as watercolor and sketch, carried out bold reforms and innovation on the style of traditional Chinese painting, and created a unique “Shanghai-style traditional Chinese painting,” also known as “Shanghai style.” Ren Bonian’s painting skills were the most outstanding and influential among the Shanghai-style painters. Because of his unique charisma, he gathered a group of talented calligraphers and painters, promoted Shanghai-style art, and made it one of the most important painting styles in modern China.
A rare genius
Ren Bonian was a rare artist, brilliant at depicting everything from landscapes, flowers and birds to human figures. His achievements in figurative, flower and bird painting are outstanding. In particular, he is renowned for his depictions of the human form. He could capture the personality and appearance of his subjects in only a few strokes. The lines are concise but natural and powerful, with little ink and far-reaching artistic conception. His paintings of Zhong Kui, the highlight of his figurative work, exemplify his genius. Zhong Kui is imbued with vivid, distinctive characteristics that are both sacred and humanized. Ren Bonian’s technical mastery and exquisite artistic vision had a great impact on modern figurative painting.
A hundred million yuan
His extraordinary talent made Ren Bonian famous and revered. Countless people begged him for his paintings, and some even blocked his door in attempts to get a piece of his work. After his death, his paintings continued to be widely celebrated. Xu Beihong said he was the most successful Chinese painter since Qiu Shizhou (Qiu Ying). According to the British magazine Painter, Ren Bonian was the most creative painting master of the 19th century.
Ren Bonian’s works are favored by modern calligraphy and art collectors. The price of his works has repeatedly reached new highs in the antique calligraphy and painting auction markets. In July 2011, Ren Bonian’s painting A story about the harmonic relationship between Chinese people and the empire Yao was sold at a record price of 167 million yuan (US $26.12 million) at a spring auction organized by Xiling Yinshe. He became the fifth artist, after Zhang Daqian, Li Keran, Xu Beihong, and Qi Baishi, and the first of the Shanghai style to fetch more than 100 million yuan for his work.
